LVCVA rejects funding request for Boulder City train

Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2001 | 10:57 a.m.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority has turned down a request from the City of Boulder City for a $4.2 million grant to build a track extension for a proposed historic railroad line officials hope will someday become a tourist attraction.

In a 9-2 vote, the board rejected the request from Boulder City Mayor Bob Ferraro, a former member of the board, and representatives of the State of Nevada's Division of Museums and History.

Boosters of the historic railroad made the request through an LVCVA program that funds recreational projects -- the same one that led to some of the funding for the Fremont Street Experience.

Ferraro's contingent hoped to use the funds to build a 2.5-mile looped track extension of the four-mile Boulder City Southern Excursion Train. The attraction has been planned since the mid-1980s and supporters are slowly developing plans for track, platforms and rolling stock.

Proponents of the train hope to preserve some of the historic line that was used during the construction of what is now Hoover Dam. The rail aficionados are hoping to someday link the Boulder City line to existing track through Henderson and offer a train trip to Boulder City from the Las Vegas Strip.

But LVCVA President Manny Cortez told the board the agency doesn't have $4.2 million in its budget and that to fund the project would require cutting into current marketing and advertising efforts. Board members said that while they supported the proposed tourist attraction, they felt the LVCVA's financing of it would be inappropriate and would invite other similar requests.

Train supporters said they would look into other financing options to keep the restoration project on track.